Phlox plant named ‘USPLX60306’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Phlox  plant named ‘USPLX60306’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant form; fast rooting; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and busy plant habit; freely and continuous flowering habit; dark violet to violet blue-colored flowers; relatively tolerant to high temperatures; and relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Phlox hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USPLX60306’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox hybrida and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘USPLX60306’.

The new Phlox plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new uniformly moundingPhlox plants with unique flower color and resistance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Phlox plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor on Sep. 9, 2006 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of Phlox hybrida‘Candy Box Blue’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with anunnamed seedling selection of Phlox hybrida, not patented, as the male,or pollen, parent. The new Phlox plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif.on Jul. 17, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phlox plant by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jul. 23, 2007, has shown that theunique features of this new Phlox plant are stable and reproduced trueto type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Phlox plant have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USPLX60306’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USPLX60306’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPhlox:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding plant form.    -   2. Fast rooting.    -   3. Vigorous growth habit.    -   4. Freely branching habit and short internodes; dense and busy        plant habit.    -   5. Freely and continuous flowering habit.    -   6. Dark violet to violet blue-colored flowers.    -   7. Relatively tolerant to high temperatures.    -   8. Relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the parents. Plantsof the new Phlox differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Candy BoxBlue’, primarily in flower color as plants of the new Phlox havedarker-colored flowers than plants of ‘Candy Box Blue’.

Plants of the new Phlox differ from plants of the male parent selectionin the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox are more vigorous than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox are more freely branching than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Phlox are denser than and not as open as        plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Phlox can be compared to plants of the Phlox‘Sunphloburu’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,451. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Phlox and ‘Sunphloburu’ differed in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. The plant habit of plants of the new Phlox was more uniform        than the plant habit of plants of ‘Sunphloburu’.    -   2. Plants of the new Phlox had darker-colored flowers than        plants of ‘Sunphloburu’.    -   3. Under high light conditions, the flower color of plants of        the new Phlox faded less than the flower color of plants of        ‘Sunphloburu’.    -   4. Plants of the new Phlox were more resistant to Powdery Mildew        than plants of ‘Sunphloburu’.

Plants of the new Phlox can also be compared to plants of the Phlox‘Blue Star’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of thenew Phlox and ‘Blue Star’ differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Phlox had darker-colored flowers than        plants of ‘Blue Star’.    -   2. Under high temperature conditions, the flower color of plants        of the new Phlox faded less than the flower color of plants of        ‘Blue Star’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Phlox plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘USPLX60306’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘USPLX60306’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., under commercialpractice in 12.5-cm containers during the autumn in an outdoor nurserywith day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 38° C., night temperaturesranging from 9° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranging from 7,000 to10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were six weeks oldwhen the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Phlox hybrida ‘USPLX60306’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Phlox hybrida ‘Candy Box Blue’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of Phlox            hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 24 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium in density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding            plant form; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit,            about seven main laterals each with numerous secondary            laterals; relatively short internodes; dense and bushy plant            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 15.5 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 29 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 14 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 1.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent. Color: Close to 146B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Oblong.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Rounded to slightly auriculate; clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, close to 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type/habit.—Single rotate and salverform flowers            arranged in small cymes of four flowers each; flowers face            upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 100            flower buds and flowers developing per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering from spring            to frost in California.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Color: Close to 85C.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, at base.—About 2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl; petals fused at the base into a narrow tube. Lobe            length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 1.2 cm. Shape:            Obovate. Apex: Rounded with a shallow point. Margin: Entire.            Texture: Petal lobes, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;            velvety. Petal lobes, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Throat: Smooth, glabrous. Tube: Pubescent. Color:            Developing petals, upper surface: Close to 92C. Developing            petals, lower surface: Close to 92D. Fully expanded petals,            upper surface: Brighter than 86A; star-shaped central            pattern, close to 79A; color becoming closer to 94C with            development; venation, close to 86A. Fully expanded petals,            lower surface: Close to 85C to 85D; venation, close to 85C.            Flower throat: Close to N78B; venation, close to N78B.            Flower tube: Close to 85C; venation, close to 85C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl, fused towards the base into a slender tube and            reflexed towards the apex. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width:            About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Erect to about 30° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            five. Filament length: About 2 mm to 5 mm. Filament color:            Close to 145D. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther length:            About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 13A. Pollen amount:            Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape:            Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 150C. Style length: About            2.5 mm. Style color: Close to 145D. Ovary color: Close to            144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Phlox have been noted to    be relatively resistant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Phlox    have not been noted to be resistant to pests and other pathogens    common to Phlox.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Phlox have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.; relatively    tolerant to high temperatures.

1. A new and distinct Phlox plant named ‘USPLX60306’ as illustrated anddescribed.